Trackman

[ousafe]

Let's just get robo-umps and robo-players and robo-fans and be done with it.  Because the human element is just so...inconvenient and messy and, well, human.

 

[JSam21]

11 hours ago, dumbdumb said:

'Trackman'? I heard it was called 'no more umpire' and one less individual to worry about concussion syndrome. Like those one umpire slow pitch softball games where the plate umpire has everything. Now the base umpire has everything including fair/foul from the middle of the infield.

In the more progressive leagues, there are still 2 umpires but they are both base umpires that start on the lines and move to the infield when the ball is hit. Anything like a pick-off at second is called by the 1st base umpire if the pitcher is right handed and by the third base umpire if a left hander. Plays at the plate with a right hander pitching would go to 3BU and if left hander to 1BU. Regular plays into second, double, steals, etc. 1st base umpire will have first 4 innings and first 5 in 9 inning game, with 3BU having cleanup innings. Anything else, hit batter, etc umpires get together and crew chief makes ruling.

Now, since no more calling pitches and not having to worry about concussions ever again, one man leagues will get $12.50 per game and 2 man will get $10 per umpire per game.

It's not if, but when, it all happens.

 

6 hours ago, ousafe said:

Let's just get robo-umps and robo-players and robo-fans and be done with it.  Because the human element is just so...inconvenient and messy and, well, human.

 

Why do you fear the technology? It can actually help us be better at our jobs.

[Lou B]

If it can't adjust to the height of the batter that 's a big problem.  Big difference in the strike zone from a 6' 4" player and a 5 ' 9" player.

[dumbdumb]

On 4/27/2019 at 9:51 PM, JSam21 said:

 

Why do you fear the technology? It can actually help us be better at our jobs.

Absolutely no fear of, which doesn't matter anyway, since it will be whatever it will be, up to the very possible fact of total job elimination. Is that a sucking sound I hear or is that the Borg?

[BobUmp]

Maybe we will adapt.. We will be sitting in an environmentally controlled computer/video room, maybe working from home remotely, observing with the camera and laser systems, and remotely entering our calls on a screen by buttons. Of course, if the strike/ball computer locks up, or the fair/foul laser becomes un-calibrated, or a camera goes down, we would have to be certified to be the onsite technician to get them up and running ASAP.. maybe for being the technician/play reviewer/replay official, we get 200 bucks a game, or maybe 75-100/hr.. A bargain for a technician that is on immediate call for onsite repairs.. We could even do multiple games at the same time if we are working remotely, with a slight delay on judgement calls like tag-no tag, safe-out calls, for a slight discount on the rates.. We will be rich!! Of course our equipment purchases become computers, screens, tools, maybe digital multimeters, and lots of coffee... Not as cool as the latest japanese throat guard...

Another plus, if the "system" or one of our judgement calls is getting business from the parents behind the backstop, we just press our mute button.. Also if a coach starts arguing about a rule, we display on his Heads-Up-Display Oakleys the rulebook citation..Of course he would actually have to take the Oakleys off the top of his cap and don them to see the HUD...

[gclg2000]

A few things about it that are not advertised besides the "fixed" height of it in general.  At the MLB level, a technician reviews every single pitch and will adjust for when track-man "misses" and fix the plot values based on video, besides tossing out pitches from "catchers influence" in the big leagues.  Second, at the MiLB level, evaluators are not allowed to use track-man data for strike zone umpire grading because of its inaccuracy.  Track man was intended for scouting purposes, angles, spin rate, velocity and etc. 

Track-man has a hard time tracking pitches with movement and the margin of error is about 2-3", and in addition to that, it does not always track the center of the ball.  It could be tracking the edge of the ball, the top or bottom.  Add in the margin of error to a 3" diameter baseball and the inaccuracy starts to get up there.  Trackman will tell you otherwise, but I don't buy it.

It's not a bad tool, but it is not even close to perfect.

$0.02